Decorative, diamond-cut jewelry surface

ABSTRACT

Jewelry pieces, for example, earrings, pendants, rings and the like, made of metal such as gold or silver and the like, with special surface texturing to improve and enhance the light-reflecting characteristics of the jewelry. The surface texturing is formed by forming a series of grooves by the process of diamond-cutting the surface of the jewelry piece to divide the surface thereof into a plurality of adjacent, four-sided regions, each of which is bounded by four diamond-cut grooves and defines a mesa with at least four light-reflecting sloping sides. The mesas are further subdivided by forming a pair of diamond-cut grooves that criss-cross one another, thereby dividing the mesas in the four-sided regions into four sub-mesas, each having at least three sloping light reflecting sides. Preferably, first gemstones are set at the junctures of the four-sided mesas and second gemstones are set at the center, where the four sub-mesas meet.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates generally to the making of jewelry,and more particularly to a method of texturing the jewelry surface usingthe technique of diamond cutting to create a surface texture of greaterbrilliance, beauty and light reflecting characteristics. The inventionfurther relates to the jewelry obtained by the method of the presentinvention.

[0002] The jewelry business is very competitive. Jewelry designers andmanufacturers constantly strive to evolve new and more interestingjewelry designs and are investing a great deal of resources, bothmonetary and in the form of human resources, in attempts to innovate newdesigns, new styles, and new, exciting looks in jewelry.

[0003] One of the very old and widely used techniques in the creating oftextured surfaces on jewelry made from metals, particularly gold, silverand the like, is known as diamond-cutting. The technique ofdiamond-cutting involves the use of a very sharp, knife-like instrumentwhich is used to cut into and texture the surface of the metallicsurface of the jewelry. Essentially, the purpose of diamond-cutting isto create micro facets in the gold or silver surface which then reflectslight in all directions, creating a brilliance, sparkle, and lightkaleidoscope that enhances the beauty of the jewelry.

[0004] There is a constant need and desire to build on the oldtechnology, to evolve a more brilliant, more sparkling and morebeautiful surface texturing on jewelry.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0005] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to providea more elaborate, more sparkling and more light-reflective surface forjewelry.

[0006] It is a further object of the invention to provide a novelsurface texturing for jewelry that can be inexpensively and simplyproduced.

[0007] Yet another object of the invention is to produce a moresparkling and a more light-reflective surface using the diamond-cuttingtechnique.

[0008] It is a further object of the invention to decorate a diamond-cutsurface which creates greater light reflectivity with a new arrangementof decorative gemstones, which can be precious, semi-precious orman-made gemstones.

[0009] The foregoing and other objects of the invention are realized bythe adaptation and improvement of the known diamond-cutting technique tocreate a pattern of repeating, square-shaped plateaus or mesas on thesurface of the jewelry piece, by further engraving X-shapedcriss-crossing cuts in each of the known squares of the prior artsystem, thereby to create within each square, four pyramid ormesa-shaped structures, each having three sloping surfaces which reflectthe light, so as to increase the number of light-reflecting surfacesapproximately threefold, to thereby multiply and enhance the brilliance,and light-reflecting characteristics of the jewelry surface.

[0010] The center of the X-shaped cuts form a well in which gemstonescan be set, typically semi-precious and in accordance with the preferredembodiment of the present invention, man-made gemstones, for example,those made of enamel, colored or transparent. Another array of suchgemstones is provided at the corners of the basic repeating squarepattern and these stones are similarly made of gemstones, man-made,semi-precious, or of any type.

[0011] The gemstones at the corners of the square-shaped repeatingpatterns and at the centers of the X-shaped cuts can be of the samecolor or of different colors, as well as of different characteristics,namely real, man-made, semi-precious or any type of gemstone known orwhich may become available to the art.

[0012] The surface texturing methodology of the present invention isapplicable to the surfaces of any type of jewelry, including pendants,rings, earrings, or indeed, any piece of jewelry that is made of metalwhich, when diamond-cut, creates a sparkling effect.

[0013] Other features and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following description of the invention whichrefers to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014]FIG. 1 shows a generic jewelry piece which has a surface that istextured in accordance with the method of the present invention.

[0015]FIG. 2 is an enlargement showing the details of the surfacetexture of FIG. 1.

[0016]FIG. 3 is a cross-section through lines 3-3 of FIG. 2.

[0017]FIG. 4 is a cross-section through lines 4-4 of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018]FIG. 1 shows in dotted line, a generic piece of jewelry 12, whichcan be a pendant hung by a chain 14, on which the novel surface texturedesign 10 of the present invention is formed to cover a portion or theentirety of its surface.

[0019] The periphery of the design does not need to be square-shaped, asshown in FIG. 1 (or in FIG. 2) and the design can be formed in anyjewelry surface, whether that surface is flat or curved, as in a ring orearring, or whether the surface curves in three dimensions as on aball-shaped jewelry piece.

[0020] The method of creating the diamond-cut surface design of thepresent invention is explicated in greater detail by reference to FIG.2. The surface pattern of the present invention is substantially in theform of repeating squares or rectangles 20, each of which is defined bydiamond-cut grooves 22 formed on the four sides thereof. Morespecifically, each square is defined by diamond-cut grooves 22 a, 22 b,22 c and 22 d. Except for squares or partial squares which are near theouter periphery of the overall design, each of these grooves is sharedby adjoining squares. For example, the diamond-cut groove 22 d is sharedby the adjoining squares 20 a and 20 b. After a particular square 20 hasbeen defined, there is formed a mesa or a plateau that is surrounded byfour grooves.

[0021] Since the grooves may be formed with a generallytriangular-shaped cutting knife, the mesas have a series of inclinedsurfaces 21 a, 21 b which extend at an angle to the flat surface of thejewelry (the surface of the paper in FIG. 2), causing light to reflectin different directions at the four sides of each mesa. When thesediamond-cut grooves are made by machine or by hand, the depth of thegroove increases toward the center of each groove segment. The cornerswhere each of these grooves 22 a, 22 b, 22 c and 22 d meet defines ahigh point where a precious gemstone 26 can be mounted. As noted, thegemstones can be real diamonds, which are glued in place, or man-madediamond such as those made of enamel and similar man-made materials, ina manner well-known in the art.

[0022] The present invention departs from the prior art by incorporatinga further set of grooves in the surface, essentially by engraving anX-shaped pair of grooves, using the same diamond-cutting technique. Thetwo diamond-cut grooves extend from corner to corner across the mesas.Thus, for example, one groove extends from the juncture of the grooves22 a and 22 d to the juncture of the grooves 22 b and 22 c. Similarly,the second diamond-cut groove extends from the juncture of the grooves22 a and 22 b to the juncture of the grooves 22 c and 22 d. The samepattern of X-shaped diamond-cut grooves is made in all or insubstantially most of the grooves, thereby subdividing each of therepeating square-shaped mesas into four pyramid-like (or mesa-like)structures each with three sides that slope at an angle into thethickness of the material of the jewelry.

[0023] More specifically, in FIG. 2, four such pyramids 30 a, 30 b, 30 cand 30 d are shown. Each has a flat top and three down-trending slopes.It is not necessary for the top of the pyramid to be flat, as it may bepointed when the diamond-cut grooves are formed wider or deeper into thematerial, so that the top of the pyramid begins to slope almostimmediately, increasing the light reflectivity and kaleidoscope of lightand color that the surface radiates.

[0024] Due to the intersection of the pair of X-shaped grooves, there iscreated a well at the center of each square-shaped mesa, where a furthergemstone 28 is set. As before, this gemstone 28 can be real or man-madeor semi-precious. It can be of any color or transparent or of any shape,for example, round or triangular, as to satisfy the imagination of theparticular customer or jewelry designer.

[0025] The sizes of the gemstones 26 and 28 can be selected so that thegemstone 28 are larger or smaller or equal in size to the gemstone 26.As noted, the colors and characteristics can be the same or differentfrom one another.

[0026] Thus, the additional diamond-cut engraving in accordance with thepresent invention increases the reflecting surfaces by two or threetimes, which creates a kaleidoscope of light and color which—due to theuse of colored gemstones—enhances the overall beauty and appealingaspect of the surface texture that is formed by the method of thepresent invention.

[0027] With reference to FIG. 3, which is a cross-section of FIG. 2through lines 3-3, the gemstone 26 is seen located or deposited at thejuncture of the grooves 22 a/22 d and the gemstone 28 at the juncture ofthe groove segments 24 a, 24 b, 24 c and 24 d.

[0028] In the cross-sectional view of FIG. 4 which is along lines 4-4 inFIG. 2, the view cuts through the center of the groove 22 d, and throughthe gemstone 28. The various reflecting surfaces are more clearlyrevealed and the view shows light rays 23 and 25 reflected from thevarious diamond cut surfaces that are made in the precious stone.

[0029] It bears repeating that the surface texture created by thediamond-cutting methodology and gemstone decoration of the presentinvention, can be applied to any jewelry surface made of a material 11(FIG. 3) in which the diamond-cutting is made and that such jewelry canbe of any surface shape, e.g., flat, curving in two or three-dimensions,as long as the material is thick enough to effect therein thediamond-cutting process. The surface texture can reach and cover theentire surface or only portions thereof, all in accordance with thesensibilities and design preferences of individual customers or jewelrydesigners and the like.

[0030] Although the present invention has been described in relation toparticular embodiments thereof, many other variations and modificationsand other uses will become apparent to those skilled in the art. It ispreferred, therefore, that the present invention be limited not by thespecific disclosure herein, but only by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of texturing the surface of a jewelrypiece made of metal to increase light reflectivity, the methodcomprising the steps of: forming a series of grooves by a process ofdiamond-cutting the surface of the jewelry piece to divide the surfacethereof into a plurality of adjacent, four-sided regions, each of whichis bounded by four diamond-cut grooves and defines a mesa with at leastfour light-reflecting sloping sides; and further subdividing thefour-sided mesas by forming a pair of diamond-cut grooves thatcrisscross one another, so as to divide the mesas in the four-sidedregions into four sub-mesas, each having at least three slopinglight-reflecting sides.
 2. The method of claim 1, in which thecrisscross, diamond-cut grooves are formed at right angles to oneanother.
 3. The method of claim 1, in which the mesas are substantiallypyramid-shaped.
 4. The method of claim 1, further including settingfirst gemstones at junctures where the grooves defining the four-sidedmesas meet.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first gemstones areformed of man-made material.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein theman-made material is enamel.
 7. The method of claim 1, further includingsetting second gemstones at the center of the crisscrossed diamond-cutgrooves.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the second gemstones are madeof enamel.
 9. The method of claim 4, further including setting secondgemstones at the center of the crisscrossed diamond-cut grooves.
 10. Themethod of claim 9, wherein the second gemstones are made of enamel. 11.The method of claim 9, wherein the second gemstones are larger in sizethan the first gemstones.
 12. The method of claim 7, wherein the secondgemstones are made of transparent material.
 13. The method of claim 1,wherein the surface texturing is formed on the surface of a jewelryring.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the surface texturing isformed on the surface of a jewelry earring.
 15. A jewelry piece made ofmetal and with a textured surface, the textured surface comprising: aseries of grooves made by a process of diamond-cutting the surface ofthe jewelry piece to divide the surface thereof into a plurality ofadjacent, four-sided regions, each of which is bounded by fourdiamond-cut grooves and defines a mesa with at least fourlight-reflecting sloping sides; and wherein each of the four-sided mesasare further subdivided by pair of diamond-cut grooves that criss-crossone another, so as to divide the mesa in each four-sided region intofour sub-mesas, each having at least three sloping light-reflectingsides.
 16. The jewelry piece of claim 15, in which the mesas aresubstantially pyramid-shaped.
 17. The jewelry piece of claim 15, furtherincluding first gemstones set at junctures of the grooves.
 18. Thejewelry piece of claim 17, further including second gemstones set at thecenters of the criss-cross diamond-cut grooves.
 19. The jewelry piece ofclaim 18, wherein the first and second gemstones are made of man-madematerials.
 20. The jewelry piece of claim 15, wherein the jewelry pieceis a jewelry earring.